Bertrand Neuman

The Geology of the SubconsciousThe gaze of this young woman that is so intense we lower our eyes; the haunting familiarity of her face, conjured up athousand times in the mind's eye, and different each time; the sensuality of her figure, whose chiaroscuro traits lingeras beauty and desire tug for possession of the viewer's mind: all these go to make up Bertrand Neuman's world, aworld we enter with that curiosity mingled with mild misgivings that assail us when we visit a portrait gallery. Memoriesare awakened, feelings aroused, intimate moments rekindled, forgotten faces flash back. Like "vanities", those paintingsof another age, the portrait brings home the painful message that all is transient and destined to fade.Contemporary artists usually paint portraits only occasionally. For Bertrand Neuman, portraying the human face hasbeen the abiding concern ever since he started painting. "For me," he says, "the portrait is the very architecture of life."His fascination with the human figure focuses on the face's infinite variability and he draws his inspiration from theinexhaustible well of emotions it holds and generates. In it one can feel the throb of life and sense the subconsciousbreaking to the surface, now expressed, now repress...

Bertrand Neuman was born in Brussels on 10 June 1967. He began drawing and painting at the age of seven.- 1980 to 1985: studied properties of colour and composition under Czech painter Mikuls Rachlik in Florence.- 1984 to 1987: art studies at Acadmie Royale des Beaux-Arts, Brussels.- 1986: course at Uccle Art School under Ari Mandelbaum.- 1987 to 1989: studied techniques of Italian Renaissance and new American figurative school at Studio Cecil-Graves, Florence.- 1988: worked intensively at painting portraits and models in David A. Leffel's studio at Arts Student League, New York.- since 1988: has made frequent trips to United States, visiting New York, Miami, Tucson (Arizona) and Santa Fe (New Mexico),where he has worked on commissions from private patrons.- 2001: worked at his monograph, to be published in 2004.- Now spends his time partly in Florence and partly in Brussels, where he is currently based.- Many private collections in Belgium, France, Italy and the United States contain works of his.- 2008: He had a show in Brussels with his father the sculptor Nat Neujean.Group Exhibitions:1989- A travers les chansons de Brel in housewhere Brel was born and at Maison de laCulture, Ath.- 1789, An 1 de la Libert, Galerie du Parvis,Bru...

Group Exhibitions:1989- A travers les chansons de Brel in housewhere Brel was born and at Maison de laCulture, Ath.- 1789, An 1 de la Libert, Galerie du Parvis,Brussels, under the aegis of the FrenchAmbassador; guest of honour together withRoger Somville.- Took part in "Libert, Egalit, Fraternit etc..A competition organised by the Ligue desDroits de l'Homme.1990- Together with Louis Rives, designed set forBroadway musical (Shapiro Theater),New York.- Alta Gamma, Brussels.1991- Paule Deboek Fine Arts, Ghent.- Awarded Commune dUccle Prize forPainting.- Galerie Tempera, Brussels.1992- Paule Deboek Fine Arts, Ghent.1992-93- Lineart, Ghent.1993-94-95- Galerie LHomme qui rit, Brussels.1996- Kunstgalerij Ernest Verkest , Tielt, Belgium.- Galerie des Beaux-Arts, Brussels.1996-97- Expo Start, Brussels, Antwerp and Lige.1999- K Gallery, Brussels.- Lineart, Ghent.- Grand March de l'Art Contemporain,Brussels.2001- In Art We Trust, Miami.- Awarded P.L. Weiler Portrait Prize, Institutde France, Paris.- Parcours dartistes, Brussels.2003- EventSFR, organised by ROUGE, DdicaceCaf, Paris.2008- Itinraires XXIX, Galerie Albert 1er,Brussels.2009- The Dark Show at Nolias Art Gallery London

2010
Itinéraires XXX, Galerie Albert 1er, Bruxelle...